Machine for cutting



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. M. FAIRBANKS.

} MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILL'S..'

No. 367,382. 4 Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

N. PETERS, Fhnlm ihognpher. Wathinglnn. n1;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet '2.

' U. M. FAIRBANKS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILES.

No. 367,382. 8 Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

INVENTDR N. PETZRS. Phmwumagnpiwr. Wuhingham n. a

(No Model!) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. 0. M. FAIRBANKS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILES.-

Patented Aug 2, 1887.

WITNESS E5- INVENTOR- (Nd Model.) 4 SheetsS heet 4.

. C. M. FAIRBANKS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILES.

N0.-86'7,382. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

li V l 1 Tr-J1 "W N4 PETERS. Photo-mho n hur. Washinglm'lPI-G UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIcE.

' ORAWFORD M. FAIRBANKS, on LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND.

MACHINE. FORCUTTING FILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,382, dated August 2, 1887.

Application filed July 17, 1886. Serial No. 208,263.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CRAWFORD M. FAIR- BANKS, of Lincoln, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Machine for Cutting Files; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings making a part of the same, is afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of frame, showing the construction, manner of adjustment, and means for imparting motion to file-carriage. Fig. 3 is a plan section on line a: a: of Fig. 1, showing feed mechanism. Fig. 4. is a partial vertical section showing presser-foot and mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the filecarriage. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 8 is asection through 0 0 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is an end view of the traveler-nut. Fig. 10 is-a section of the file-carriage with the traveler-nut locked. Fig. 11 is a View of the samewith nut unlocked. Fig. 12 is a plan section of mechanism for adjusting presserfoot. Fig. 13 is a section in N N of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 shows device for raising presserfoot. Fig. 15 shows a detail of rod and spring. Fig.

16 is a side elevation of hammer with partial section showing adjustment of cutter.

Fig. 17 is a top view of hammer. Fig. 18 is afront elevation of hammer.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine forcutting files which shall be more satisfactory in operation, more readily and easily adjusted, and less likely to get out of repair than those now inuse;and it consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of devices for holding the file-blank, file-rest, and cutting-tool, and in the mechanism for feeding and locking the rocking bed or carriage for operating the presser-foot and hammer and adjusting the presser-foot, as hereinafter set forth and described.

In the drawings, A, Fig. 1, is the frame or main bed of the machine, set at a suitable angle and supported by a standard, B. Upon the standard B is also a vertical frame, 0, to which is attached and by which is supported other parts of the mechanism, hereinafter described.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same.

(No model.)

The frame A is constructed with a longitudinal groove or trough, D, having a central longitudinal slot, E, opening into a space below occupied by a screw-arbor, F,which screwarbor is rotated by means of suitable gears, G, to which power may be communicated in any convenient way, the movement of such arbor being regulated to co-operate with the movement of the cutting-tool.

Within the groove or trough D is placed a rocking bed or carriage, H, to which is imparted a longitudinal movement and to which the file-rest S is attached.

The manner of attaching the file-rest to the bed or carriage heretofore employed consists in wedging or driving the rest into a slot in the bed or carriage, and thus obtaining sufficient friction to retain it in place during the cutting of the file blank. This mode of attachment is objectionable, as it is very difficult to obtain suflicient friction to hold the rest in place against the repeated blows of the cutter without producing a strain upon the carriage, oftentimes great enough to break it. In my invention I overcome this difficulty by making the file-rest so that it can be placed in its position without the assistance of a hammer or other tool. I then secure it against any downward longitudinal give by means of astop, I, rigidly affixed within the slot, and having attached thereto a finger, J, under which one end of the file-blank is held.

The file-rest is secured within the slot from opposite the direction of blow of the cutter.

The carriage is depressed upon one side and is placed at an angle horizontally, so that the cutter gives a crosswise or oblique blow, the force of which is at all times exerted upon the file-rest in the same direction against the stop I and against the side of the slot opposite the set-screws L. The bed being set at the inc1ination shown, both laterally and longitudinally, the effect just named will necessarily be produced, andto bring the file squarely under the tool it may become necessary to tilt the carriage II, as shown.

The bed or carriage His provided with a traveler-nut, M, which projects through the central longitudinal slot, E, and has upon its under side a series of teeth which engage the IOO screw-arbor F, and through which motion is imparted to the carriage H.

lVhen one face of the blank has been cut, it is changed to present a new surface, and the carriage His carried back to its former position, the nut M being withdrawn or elevated for that purpose, as shown in Figs. 5 and 11, and the same operation repeated.

The stop I being immovable and the linger J adjustable to suit any difference in the length of the tang, it follows that the final out upon all blanks will be located in the same perpeu dicular plane without regard to the length of the blank, although the locality of thecan riage or bed in its trough at the commencement of the cutting operation must be varied to suit blanks of different lengths.

The screw-thread upon the arbor F does not extend its entire length, so that whenever the extreme point of cutting has been reached the nut M will pass to the smooth or unthrcaded portion a and stop the feed. This arrange ment secures a uniform stopping-place upon every blank, and at the same time insures the machine against damage through any inattention on the part of the operator.

In order to maintain the engagement of the nut M with the screw-arbor F during the operation of the parts, it is necessary to lock it in an engaged position, as shown in Figs. 7, 9, and 10.

The nut M is pivoted to a rod, 0, which connects it with a lever or handle, P, in a manner which will permit it to swing and not interfere with the rocking of the carriage H, as indicated by Figs. 2 and 11.

\Vhen the bed or carriage H is in position for longitudinal movement, usually slightly tipped, a shoulder upon the nut M catches under the bottom of the carriage, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, and locks it against the upward pressure of the screw-arbor F.

\Vhen it is desired to return the bed or carriage H to its former position and commence the cutting of a new surface, it is tipped or rocked in the opposite direction from that in which it stands during the cutting operation and until the shoulder upon the nut M clears the bottom of the carriage, when the nut may be drawn up into its recess through the action of the hand upon the stationary and spring levers P, as shown in Figs. 5 and 11.

I have now described the means for and manner of holding and presenting the blank to the action of the cutter. It now remains to show the operation and adjustment of the cutter and presser-foot.

In the frame 0, sliding on suit-able guides, is a hammer, Q, to the lower end of which is secured the cutting-tool R by means of one or more set-screws, d. In large machines for outtinglarge files one set-screw will be found insufficient, and I make use of two, as shown in Figs. 4 and 16. In such case, however, one set-screw holds against the tool while the other holds against a separate piece or stop, S, above the same. Two set-screws bearing upon the tool at the same time would, through inequalities in surface, produce a twisting strain sufficicnt to break it.

In the machine heretofore in use, while the tool has been steadied and to some cxtentheld by a set-screw, the chief resistance to the blow has been obtained by allowing the top of the tool to rest against a fixed shoulder in the hammer.

The cutting tools vary in length, and each change makes an adjustment necessary of the screw-bolt in the arm V, which adjustment requires care and consumes much time.

With the tool It and a separate stop, S, as shown in Figs. 4 and 16, the former can first be dropped into place and secured and then the latter placed in position, resting upon the top of the tool and held by its own set-screw, each finding itscenter independent of the other.

The cutting-tool R and hammer Q are raised at regular intervals through the action of a cam, T, upon a shaft, U, to which power is applied, which cam operates upon an adjustable bolt attached to an arm, V. After the upward movement of the hammer and tool has been completed they are driven back by the action of a spring, \V, the power of which is regulated by a hand-whecl and screw, X. The presser-foot Z, Fig. 4:, rests upon and passes over the surface of a blank in advance of the cutter and serves to hold the former in place, and so present it that a cut of even depth will be obtained. The downward pressure exerted by the prcsserfoot is maintained by a spring within the cylinder a, regulated by a screw-cap, f, which spring operates upon a rod, 9, resting upon the cam h, and tends through the rod It to raise the arm Z of the presser-foot.

It is necessary that the presser-foot should bear squarely upon the blank at whatever tip or angle the latter may be traveling; and to this end I connect the arm Z with the rod 76 in such a manner that it may rock or rotate therein, and also provide the prcsser-foot with a lateral or wabbling adjustment. To produce this last-named adjustment an arbor, m, in Fig. 12, passes through the frame and pressenfoot and is operated by a hand-wheel, n.

The portion of the arbor on within the presser-foot has a different axial alignment from the outer parts, which will, as will be readily seen, cause the point of the presser-foot to move laterally and at the same time tip in one direction or the other as the hand-wheel n is rotated.

The arbor m is retained in position by means of a set-screw, which exerts sufficient friction to prevent it from turning of its own accord or from any jar of the machinery.

Whenever it is desired to remove or change the blank, the presser-foot and tool maybe raised by rotating the hand-wheel p, the tool being first elevated by a cam, 1', acting upon the hammer, and afterward the presser-foot by the continuing movement of the wheel carrying downward the rod 70 through the action of the cam h.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with the screw-arbor F and a rocking bed or carriage, H, mounted over said arbor, of a locking-nut, M, passed through the carriage and locked in engagement with the arbor thereby, and means, substantially as described, for raising the same out of engagement with the arbor, as set forth.

2. In combination with a hammer, Q, a cutting-tool, It, and stop S, secured by separate set-screws, as and for the purposes specified.

3. Thecombiuation of the carriage H, having a fixed stop, I, and nut M, with a screwarbor, F, having a safety-space, a, the whole operating together in the manner and for the purposes substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the cam 71, the springactuated rod 9, and the rod is, connecting with the arm Z of the presser-foot, the whole conpresser-foot of a different axial alignment from the outer part, whereby a tipping and wab- 5 biing movement of the point of such presserfoot will result from the rotation of the arbor, as and for the purposes specified.

ORANVFORD M. FAIRBANKS. Witnesses:

WALTER B. VINCENT, ALFRED I. HILL. 

